June 2nd, 2026
Isaiah 41:10 — fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
It may not come as a surprise to anyone, but there is a lot going on in our church. From health to change, there’s a lot that can easily feel tumultuous. As I reflect on certain situations, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the uncertainty, distracted by individual weaknesses in myself, or the daunting tasks ahead of us, but none of that is unique to me or any of us.
Isaiah is writing as the prophet to the Israel in the midst of exile, where the enemy is strong and the covenant people of God feel weak. In Revelation, we see this exilic language richly connected to God’s elect as sojourners in Babylon. In Revelation, Babylon is the symbol of world-system that surrounds us every day: from corrupt politics to prolific idolatry (even in the Church) to the seduction of wealth and comfort.
Israel, during the time of Isaiah, was in literal Babylon, while we live as exiles and sojourners in symbolic Babylon (and yes, America is part of Babylon too). In the midst of this sojourning as we await the return to our true home of the Kingdom of God and the land of our true citizenship, we suffer at the hands of an already defeated enemy.
Yet these words of Isaiah still ring true in our ears:
Fear not, for I am with you — God is still present, even in the turmoil.
Be not dismayed, for I am your God — in the chaos, God is stable.
I will strengthen you, I will help you — God is our strength and preservation.
This assurance stems from the truth that we are God’s elect. He has chosen those who stand in Christ. Isaiah 41:8-9 — "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”.”
In tandem with our series on Galatians, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) and in Christ, we are Abraham’s offspring (Galatians 3:29). While this verse what written to assure Israel, the point still stands for us today. Those who are united by faith in Christ are God’s chosen ones. No matter how the tyranny of Babylon affects or attacks our lives, our assurance comes from our election in Christ.
United in Christ,
Rev. Joshua Fried
Pastor
It may not come as a surprise to anyone, but there is a lot going on in our church. From health to change, there’s a lot that can easily feel tumultuous. As I reflect on certain situations, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the uncertainty, distracted by individual weaknesses in myself, or the daunting tasks ahead of us, but none of that is unique to me or any of us.
Isaiah is writing as the prophet to the Israel in the midst of exile, where the enemy is strong and the covenant people of God feel weak. In Revelation, we see this exilic language richly connected to God’s elect as sojourners in Babylon. In Revelation, Babylon is the symbol of world-system that surrounds us every day: from corrupt politics to prolific idolatry (even in the Church) to the seduction of wealth and comfort.
Israel, during the time of Isaiah, was in literal Babylon, while we live as exiles and sojourners in symbolic Babylon (and yes, America is part of Babylon too). In the midst of this sojourning as we await the return to our true home of the Kingdom of God and the land of our true citizenship, we suffer at the hands of an already defeated enemy.
Yet these words of Isaiah still ring true in our ears:
Fear not, for I am with you — God is still present, even in the turmoil.
Be not dismayed, for I am your God — in the chaos, God is stable.
I will strengthen you, I will help you — God is our strength and preservation.
This assurance stems from the truth that we are God’s elect. He has chosen those who stand in Christ. Isaiah 41:8-9 — "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”.”
In tandem with our series on Galatians, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) and in Christ, we are Abraham’s offspring (Galatians 3:29). While this verse what written to assure Israel, the point still stands for us today. Those who are united by faith in Christ are God’s chosen ones. No matter how the tyranny of Babylon affects or attacks our lives, our assurance comes from our election in Christ.
United in Christ,
Rev. Joshua Fried
Pastor
Recent
Archive
2026
2025
March
April
August
2024
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
No Comments